Care
by ashes and cinders
Summary: In which Jinora gets hurt, and Bolin begins to realize how much the airbender means to him. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Injured

**AN: Everyone is 10 years older! Bolin is 26, Jinora is 20! **

**Normal POV **

Bolin was watching Jinora go through the spinning air gates, completely fascinated with her movements. It didn't matter that he'd seen her do this probably a hundred times over the 10 years he'd known Jinora, he was still was enthralled by the sheer grace of the airbender.

Jinora had seen Bolin watching her. In an attempt to impress him, she tried to add extra twirls to her movements, but after taking a second to gauge his reaction, lost her footing and was bounced from panel to panel until she was thrown out the other side. She tried to catch herself and almost succeeded until her ankle gave out on her and she fell to the ground.

"Ow!" yelped Jinora when she hit the ground.

Bolin POV

I heard her shout as she hit the ground and went running to her side.

"Jinora!"

She was cradling her leg and looked deep in pain.

"Jinora, are you okay?" I asked, concerned that she might have been seriously injured.

"Bolin, I'm fine I just…" she said as she attempted to get up.

"Jinora, you shouldn't stand on your…"

"Ow!" Jinora yelled as her leg gave out under her.

I was able to catch her before she fell again, thank the spirits.

Normal POV \

"Bolin put me down!" Jinora shouted as Bolin scooped her into his arms.

"No way, if I put you down you're gong to try to walk on that leg again and hurt it even more probably already is," said Bolin beginning to walk towards the temple.

"Bolin I'm fine! Put me down!" said Jinora as she struggled to get out of his grasp. She was beginning to blush as she realized how close they were.

She and Bolin were friends and she had always had a crush on him, but 2 years before she realized that her feelings went even farther than she originally suspected.

Now, whenever that they were around each other, the blush would show up at the most inconvenient times. It was like it had a mind of its own and knew just when Bolin would be close enough to see.

Bolin saw the blush, but just figured Jinora was hot from working out. Bolin was thankful that in this instance he was taking after Mako and staying cool under fire. Though his outward appearance revealed nothing, the close proximity to Jinora was making his pulse race and he couldn't figure out why.

'_It's just Jinora,' _He thought, but then as he walked up the stairs to the temple, the afternoon sun hit her hair, making it look like she had a halo around her head.

"Wow," he whispered.

"What was that, Bolin?" asked Jinora.

"Nothing!" exclaimed Bolin, he thought he had said that in his head, not out loud.


	2. Just like Pema & Tenzin

AN: Here's the second chapter I promised. It might take me a little to get a third one posted; I'm getting a bad case of writer's block. If anyone has any suggestions on where to go next, I'm open to ideas!

"Miss Pema! Master Tenzin! Somebody!" yelled Bolin.

"Bolin what's wrong? Jinora!" yelled Pema, running towards her daughter once she saw them.

"What's gong on out here? I could hear you shouting in my office!" exclaimed Tenzin as he rushed into the common area.

"Tenzin, quiet down! Jinora's hurt."

"Hurt? What happened?!" he questioned Bolin.

"She slipped when she was training, the spinning gates bounced her around and threw her out, she tried to catch herself, but landed on her ankle the wrong way," Bolin explained in a rush.

Tenzin was shocked, Pema looked suspicious. Both knew their daughter was a highly skilled master airbender and didn't have accidents like that. Pema suspected Bolin had a part in Jinora's injury, whether he knew it or not. Pema had seen the way her daughter looked at the older earthbender. She also had noticed how over time the time the two spent together gradually increased. As of the last year or so she noticed the two were practically attached at the hip. The only time she saw her daughter without Bolin was when he was on duty with the metalbenders **(AN: I think when Bolin gets tired of probending he'll join the police force like Mako.) **Whenever he was on the island, the two were inseparable. They reminded her of herself and Tenzin when they were young.

Pema was pulled out of her memories when she heard Tenzin speak again.

"Let's get her down to the healing room."

"Bolin, you can put me down now. I can walk from here," said Jinora sleepily. She had dozed off on the way from the training pavilion to the temple.

"Jinora, we don't know how injured that ankle is. You're not walking," Bolin said, giving a stern look.

Jinora pouted.

Oh yes, they definitely reminded Pema of her and Tenzin.


	3. Conscience Korra

**AN: Sorry it took so long to update, I was out of town and did not have access to FF. To all of my readers who read, reviewed, and favorited "My Story", thank you so much for your support. I am thinking of adding a Part 2, but it may be a while as the plot bunnies are still scheming. **

Jinora's ankle was definitely broken. Korra had done all she could to mend it, but had advised Jinora to stay off of it as much as possible for a couple of weeks. Jinora didn't mind much; it gave her an excuse to spend her days in the library.

Bolin was on the island as much as possible with his work schedule. If it was still light enough out when Bolin came to the island he and Jinora would sit under their favorite tree and Jinora would read to Bolin.

He and Jinora went on their afternoon walks as much as possible (Bolin doing all the walking while carrying Jinora, insisting that she needs to stay off her ankle).

"Bolin, you don't need to carry me I have a crutch," said Jinora rolling her eyes. Every time Bolin was on the island since she had been injured, Bolin carried her every time they went anywhere.

"No way, Korra said you needed to take it easy on that ankle," he replied. Bolin felt like he was explaining this for the hundredth time.

"Please Jin, I just want to make sure you're okay."

He gave her tht look. The pleading look that he gives when he _really _wants something and darn it she can't resist _The Look._

'_And I really like holding her,' _thought Bolin. _'Woah, woah, woah! Where did that come from?' _

'_It's called your conscience,'_ said a voice in his head that sounded oddly like his sister-in-law Korra.

'_I thought your conscience was only supposed to pipe up when you're doing something wrong?' _Bolin threw back.

'_Yes, but your conscience also pipes in when you're being stupid.' _ Okay, now Bolin was envisioning "Conscience Korra" saying this with a smug look on her face.

"_What exactly am I being stupid about?' _asked Bolin, completely dumbfounded_. _

"_My Spirits you're thick! Think about this: How did you feel when Jinora got hurt?' _asked Conscience Korra_. _

'_Worried,' _replied Bolin.

'_Annnnd?' _

'_Scared.' _

'_And why were you scared?'_

'_I was afraid she was seriously injured,' _thought Bolin, sure this was a goodenough reason_. _

'_Okay, then why are you carrying her everywhere?' _countered Conscience Korra_. _

'_She's hurt!' _

'_She has a broken ankle that's nearly healed!' _

'_Nearly healed!' _Bolin countered_. _

'_Would you do this for anyone else?' _

'_Huh?' _asked Bolin, utterly confused_. _

'_Would you carry anyone else all over the island?' _

'_No.' _Bolin answered honestly.

'_Take a look at Jinora. And start thinking about what makes her so special.' _

"Bolin!"

"Huh?" Bolin was pulled abruptly out of his thoughts.

"I asked you which story you'd like to hear today and you've been giving me a blank stare for about five minutes since."

Bolin's cheeks tinged pink.

"So what story do you want to hear?" asked Jinora.

"Oh, why don't you pick today?"

"Okay," said Jinora with a smile. She continued to smile as she opened the book and began to read.

Bolin didn't hear a word of the story that day, he was too busy starring at Jinora's smile.

'_She's so beautiful.' _

Maybe Conscience Korra had a point.

Now if only he could figure out what it was.


	4. Brotherly Advice

**Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to LOKFan1997 and it makes sense in context who have faithfully reviewed every chapter of this story thus far. Thank you guys so much. **

Bolin spent the next few days taking "Conscience Korra's" advice and pondering what made Jinora so special. He thought of all her good qualities, all of the little quirks that made Jinora who she is. He thought of her love of reading and how no matter where she was she always had a book with her. He thought of her love of animals and how great she was with Pabu. He admired how she spoke her mind and how she was always honest. He thought of how graceful she was when she would bend and how he could spend all day watching her and wouldn't be bored. He could spend all day naming off the traits in the airbender that over the last decade had become one of his best friends, but for the life of him he could not figure out what the funny feeling he felt was every time he was around her.

He knew he needed help if he was to solve his dilemma. He thought briefly of gong to the real Korra to see if she could fill in the gaps that "Conscience Korra" left behind, but quickly put the idea out of his mind. Looking back on what "Conscience Korra" had said to him he shuddered to think what the real Korra would say. No, there was only one person he could think of that he could go to with his problem. Mako. His older, wiser brother may be able to shed some light on this issue and, best of all, if the solution was obvious there was a much smaller chance of Mako making fun of him than his sister-in-law.

**x-X-x **

He knocked on the door of his brother's house. The house he had helped build. After Mako and Korra had announced their engagement the issue of where they would live after they were married came up quickly. Neither had wanted to move to the South Pole, Mako didn't want to leave his brother or give up his job on the police force and frankly was terrible in the cold weather. Korra loved that the South Pole was her birthplace and loved to visit her parents but couldn't stand the thought of living there permanently, too many memories of being locked up in the White Lotus Compound. They had looked at apartments, but none felt like home and most of the building owners were not too keen on housing a 600-pound polar bear dog. Tenzin quickly offered the solution of living on Air Temple Island, Mako and Korra hesitated at first but quickly gave in after Tenzin, Pema, Master Katara and the spirit of Avatar Aang all insisted that it was as much Korra's home as it was theirs. He, Mako, Tenzin, and the Air Acolytes had begun construction on the home as soon as the matter was settled.

Bolin waited and nervously shifted from foot to foot. He knew he needed advice from his older brother but he didn't know how to bring the subject up. Bolin knocked again.

"Coming, coming!" yelled Mako from behind the door. "Bolin?" asked Mako when he opened the door.

"H-hey bro!" stuttered Bolin.

"Hey, Bo. What're you doing here?" asked Mako.

"What, I can't hang out with my older brother?"

"Well yeah, you can, it's just around this time of day you usually don't. You and Jinora are usually off hanging out somewhere," Mako stated.

"Oh! Yeah, yeah!" Bolin said distractedly. He hadn't realized it had gotten so late. He and Jinora would usually be meeting up right about now. Oh well, guess he'd have to miss seeing her today.

Mako could tell something was up with Bolin. His brother was never this nervous around him. He'd have to get to the bottom of this.

"Well I'll just grab my scarf and we'll go for a walk. Korra and the baby are up at the temple right now so I'm free." Mako said over his shoulder as he went into the house.

'_That's right,'_ Bolin thought, _'Korra's checking on Jinora's ankle today. I guess I wouldn't have been able to hang out with her today any way.' _

"Bolin you ready to go?" The sound of his brother's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah," he replied and they headed off.

**x-X-x **

"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong or am I going to have to drag it out of you?" said Mako looking at Bolin.

"Wrong? N-nothing's wrong!" said Bolin looking anywhere but at Mako.

"Yeah, I believe that about as much as I believe that you hate dumplings." Said Mako sarcastically. "Now why don't you tell me what's going on?"

"Well… you see, there's this girl," started Bolin.

"And?" Mako pushed Bolin to continue.

"Well, every time I'm around her I get this funny feeling. There's something about her that's special to me, I do things for her I wouldn't do for anyone else, I just can't figure out what it is."

Mako was beginning to see where this conversation was heading, even if Bolin couldn't figure it out yet. He decided to push his little brother a little further, just to see if his hypothesis was correct.

"You said you got a funny feeling when you're around her, describe it."

"I…I don't know, I feel lighter around her, more free, but at the same time fully grounded. It's like-" Bolin blushed, "it's like I can just be myself around her, I don't have to pretend to be something I'm not or pretend to feel a way I don't feel. But at the same time, she makes me want to be better. She makes me feel like I can be better."

"I know what that feeling is," said Mako smirking.

"You do? What is it?" asked Bolin excitedly. Finally, he has a solution!

"Yep, I get it, too," said Mako.

"Really! When do you get it?" asked Bolin.

"Every time I'm around Korra." Mako was near ready to burst with laughter as he watched the wheels spinning in his little brother's head.

"Y-you mean…" Bolin began, stuttering.

"You're in love, little bro," finished Mako. Then he asked, "This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain airbender that you've been carrying all over the island everyday, would it?"

Bolin entire face turned a bright shade of red that would rival the Fire Nation emblem. He knew there was no point in lying to his brother, Mako would be able to tell he was lying even if he wasn't blushing.

"Jinora's a lucky girl." Mako said smiling.

Bolin beamed.

**AN: Whew! The longest chapter yet! Please review and check out the poll on my profile! **


	5. Jinora Depressed

**Author's Note: Thank you all for being so patient with me, it has taken me way too long for me to come up with the next chapter. Thank you to all of my loyal readers and to all who have favorited the story! Please see my poll on my profile. **

"Looks like you're all set," said Korra, clearing away the healing water from Jinora's ankle and putting it back in its bowl.

"Yeah, thanks Korra," said Jinora, staring at the floor.

"Ok, what's wrong?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Jinora, looking at the floor.

"You've been acting all depressed since I came in. So I repeat: what's wrong?"

"Nothing!"

"Mmmhmm. And would this "nothing" have anything to do with a certain Earthbender we all know and love?" Korra said with a sly grin.

She didn't even need an answer; the blush on Jinora's face said it all. Korra had suspected something was going on between the two when they had started spending more and more time together. Her suspicions were furthered when Jinora was injured and Bolin had carried Jinora to her for treatment. Mako had mentioned that Bolin had continued to carry Jinora around the island every time they were together and that he had been especially protective of her the last few weeks.

"You like him, don't you?" asked Korra with a cheeky grin. Jinora's blush deepened. "You do!"

"Shhhh! Keep it down!" Jinora hissed.

"Why? You don't want the world to know that you like Bolin?"

"Quiet!" Jinora rushed to the door, which was open, turned her head checking both ends of the hallway for anyone who might have heard Korra, and then after seeing no one nearby, promptly shut the door.

"You like Bolin! You like Bolin!" Korra teased in a sing-song voice.

"How old are you?"

"Oh come on Jinora! You two would make a cute couple! Why don't you tell him how you feel?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Jinora turning the other way.

"That's bison crap and you know it! I've seen you two together!" yelled Korra walking around to look at Jinora's face. "Jinora, look at me." Korra suddenly became quiet, taken aback by the look of pain that briefly flashed in Jinora's eyes before she covered it up. "Jinora, tell me what's wrong." Korra said a little quieter. "Why won't you tell him?"

"There's nothing to tell!" Jinora yelled.

"Jinora," Korra said quietly, but firmly and giving Jinora a look that said, _"I know you're lying". _

"Fine! You want to know the reason I won't tell him? It's because I know there is no point!"

"What?" asked Korra, confused. "What do you mean there's no point?"

"Look at him Korra! He's a former probender, a war hero, a great police officer even though he's still a rookie, and his fan girls from his probending days still swoon whenever he goes somewhere! What chance does a girl like me have with a man like that?" Jinora finished her tirade looking down.

"Jinora, you're crazy! You and Bolin are great with each other!" Korra exclaimed, trying to make the younger woman see sense.

"As friends! That's all Bolin sees me as, _a friend._ Maybe even a kid sister. I've tagged around him long enough he may see me that way." Jinora was looking more and more downcast as she elaborated. "He'll never see me as an available woman."

"How could he not? He may be dense Jinora, but he's not blind. How could he not see how beautiful you are?"

Jinora blushed when Korra said this. "You're just saying that because we're friends."

"You know that's not true. You know me well enough to know I wouldn't sugar coat the truth just because you're my friend," replied Korra, giving the younger woman a pointed look.

"I'm nowhere near as pretty as the girls he used to date," Jinora said looking down.

Korra was just about to reply with, _"Used to. How long has it been since you've seen any of those girls around?"_, when there was a knock on the door before an air acolyte opened it and told them that dinner was ready.


End file.
